Box Score
Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University freshman guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) had 14 points to lead three players in double digits, helping the Bulldogs take a 65-54 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball victory over Newberry College in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court Wednesday night. Wingate outrebounded Newberry 50-31.
 
With the triumph, the WU Bulldogs (20-5 overall, 16-5 SAC) remain in a tie for first place in the league standings with Lenoir-Rhyne (21-5 overall, 16-5 SAC). Wingate is 12-2 at home this season. The Newberry Wolves slip to 15-10 overall and 11-10 in the SAC. Wingate concludes the regular season Saturday, venturing to Brevard College for a 2 p.m. tip.
 
"Tonight was a big win for us," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "I was really pleased with our effort on the boards. Even though we didn't shoot the ball well, we found ways to score with offensive rebounding and getting to the free throw line."  
 
Wingate senior forward Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) posted her SAC-best 12th double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Bulldog senior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) had 12 points and nine boards, while sophomore forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) had nine points, eight rebounds and a game-high four steals.
 
For Newberry, junior center Haylee Lepaio (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia) had 17 points and 18 rebounds. She filled out her statistics ledger with three assists and three blocks. Newberry senior guard/forward Tasia Holdorf (Anchorage, Alaska) had 15 points, while junior guard Kaitlynn Pacholke (Tampa, Fla.) contributed 12 points, three assists and two steals.
 
The contest featured 10 tie scores and seven lead changes in the first 33-plus minutes. A traditional three-point play by Lepaio gave the visitors their last lead at 38-37 with 16:56 remaining. Wingate sophomore forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) answered with a rainbow three-point field goal to give the Bulldogs the lead for good 12 seconds later.
 
"Newberry is very difficult to defend because of their inside-out combination of scorers," Hancock says. "I felt we did a good job in the second half of making them adjust."
 
Tricoli hit two free throws followed by a triple from Newberry junior guard Zara Pearson (Echuca, Victoria, Australia) to make the score 42-41 Wingate with 15:15 to play. The Bulldogs responded with 13-0 run to take a 55-41 lead on a Harris old-fashioned three-point play with 10:33 left. Harris had seven of Wingate's 13 points during the game-changing flurry.
 
The Wolves would get no closer than 10 points down the stretch. Two McGee charity tosses put the hosts up 63-47 with 4:15 remaining. The 16-point bulge was Wingate's biggest lead. The Bulldogs made 15-of-20 free throws in the second stanza to keep the visitors at bay.
 
Wingate led 31-29 at intermission. Tricoli led the Bulldogs with eight points. Williams and junior forward Brooklyn Boston (Lenoir, N.C.) had seven and six points, respectively. Lepaio had her double-double at the break with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Holdorf posted 10 markers. The first frame featured eight tie scores and three lead changes.
 
Newberry and Wingate split the season series. The Wolves won a 66-55 decision on Feb. 5, thanks to 18 points and 15 rebounds by Lepaio. Holdorf notched a game-high 23 points. Williams had 17 points and eight boards to lead the visiting Bulldogs.
 
Wingate has 22 20-win seasons as a senior college. Hancock had four as a Wingate player, leading the Bulldogs to 103 victories during her career (1988-92). Wingate has won 10 SAC regular season crowns and six Food Lion SAC tournament championships.

Newspaper Box Score
Newberry vs Wingate
02/26/14 6 p.m. at Wingate, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 65, NEWBERRY 54
NEWBERRY (15-10 overall, 11-10 SAC)
Lepaio, Haylee 8-16 1-1 17; Holdorf, Tasia 7-17 1-1 15; Pacholke, Kaitlynn 4-7 1-2 12; Pearson, Zara 3-9 0-0 8; Perry, Emily 0-1 1-2 1; Dunsmore, Kirsten 0-1 1-2 1; Gleeson, Ellie 0-4 0-0 0; Ramirez, Aaliyah 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 22-55 5-9 54.
WINGATE (20-5 overall, 16-5 SAC)
Tricoli, Shelby 3-8 6-8 14; Harris, Kayla 5-17 3-6 13; Williams, Janitsha 4-15 3-4 12; Boyd, Sharee 3-6 3-4 9; Neely, Amber 3-9 0-0 6; Boston, Brooklyn 2-2 2-2 6; McGee, Morgan 1-6 2-2 5; Hudson, Alysia 0-1 0-0 0; Bonner, Kelli 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-64 19-26 65. Newberry......................   29   25  -   54 Wingate.......................   31   34  -   65
3-point goals--Newberry 5-15 (Pacholke, Kaitlynn 3-5; Pearson, Zara 2-3; Perry, Emily 0-1; Dunsmore, Kirsten 0-1; Gleeson, Ellie 0-2; Holdorf, Tasia 0-3), Wingate 4-15 (Tricoli, Shelby 2-5; McGee, Morgan 1-3; Williams, Janitsha 1-4; Neely, Amber 0-2; Harris, Kayla 0-1). Fouled out--Newberry-None, Wingate-None. Rebounds--Newberry 31 (Lepaio, Haylee 18), Wingate 50 (Harris, Kayla 11). Assists--Newberry 11 (Lepaio, Haylee 3; Pacholke, Kaitlynn 3), Wingate 6 (Neely, Amber 3). Total fouls--Newberry 18, Wingate 18. Technical fouls--Newberry-None, Wingate-None. A-275
SAC women's basketball, Cuddy Arena, Wingate, N.C.
Wingate travels to Brevard Saturday, March 1 (2 p.m.)
Newberry hosts Carson-Newman Saturday, March 1 (2 p.m.)